Two Liverpool stars tipped to quit and join Real Madrid next summer after contract stand-off
Graeme Souness has a theory that Trent Alexander-Arnold is already packing his bags for Madrid and predicts that Virgil van Dijk could also join him at the La Liga giants
Liverpool legend Graeme Souness believes Kop duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk could both be heading to Real Madrid next summer.
Former Reds midfielder and manager Souness reckons Alexander-Arnold is the perfect fit for the La Liga giants and Van Dijk can also upgrade their defence. Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Mo Salah are all in the final year of their contracts at Anfield with no sign of new deals being agreed yet.
Salah revealed after the 3-0 win over Manchester United that he's yet to be spoken to by club chiefs over a new deal. That’s sparked fears the trio could leave for nothing next summer with all three free to talk to foreign clubs from January.
Souness, who played for Liverpool from 1978 to 1984 and then later managed them, reckons Alexander-Arnold being taken off against Manchester United by new boss Arne Slot is a bad sign. The 25-year-old England right-back came off with 14 minutes to go, a week after he was annoyed at being substituted against Brentford.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold is tailor-made for Real Madrid in terms of the way he plays, and he’s got an unbelievable delivery – not to mention he’s good friends with Jude Bellingham,” Souness said on William Hill’s Up Three Up Front podcast.
“He could end up at Madrid and that message may already have been relayed to Liverpool. I don’t see any obvious reason to take Trent off against Manchester United, other than if they know he’s leaving.
“They’d still want to keep him on side for the rest of the season and he’ll go for free at the end of it. The message that he’s made up his mind may already have been relayed to the higher-ups at the club. He’s running his contract down. If you’re going to leave Liverpool, where else other than Real Madrid can you really go to better yourself?”
Van Dijk, 33, revealed he has yet to start talks over a new contract and the Dutchman would be a wanted man if he’s available on a free next summer. But the Scot hopes that all three don’t leave.
Souness said: “Liverpool can’t let all three of Trent, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk leave. I could see Trent at Real Madrid, I could see Van Dijk there as well.
“The point being that if you’re leaving Liverpool then the only place you’d really want to go is Madrid. Van Dijk might be getting older but he’s an athlete. You can still get a couple more good years out of him. He’s a better player than what Real already have in the likes of Antonio Rudiger.
"He’s more of a footballer, he’s a better athlete, better in the air and better on the ball. I wouldn’t even compare the two.”
Souness does believe that if Alexander-Arnold was to leave, the Reds already have the perfect replacement in 21-year-old Conor Bradley. He added: “Arne Slot brought Conor Bradley off the bench against both Brentford and Manchester United.
“He’s a proper player. Slot may have just wanted to give him a feel for what it’s like to play at Old Trafford, to keep him onside. He’s giving Bradley a few minutes and just making sure he’s happy.
“He’s certainly taking a good look at Bradley. It’s forward planning from Slot. He’s been told he’s good enough for the first team and he wants to see that for himself.”
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